February 4, 2019
We told you last year about our partnership with the national nonprofit Fair Food Network to bring its Double Up Food Bucks healthy food incentive program to New Jersey. In 25 other states already, Double Up Food Bucks matches the value of NJ SNAP dollars spent on fresh fruits and vegetables, helping low-income families bring home more nutritious foods. SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.
With funding from the Community Foundation, Victoria Foundation, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, and many individual New Jerseyans, the Double Up Food Bucks program began running in July 2018 at these locations:
- ShopRite of Newark: 206 Springfield Ave., Newark, NJ 07103
- ShopRite of East Orange: 533 Martin Luther King Blvd., East Orange, NJ 07019
- ShopRite of Kearny: 100 Passaic Ave., Kearny, NJ 07032
- ShopRite of Hillside: 370 Route 22, West Hillside, NJ 07205
Update on Progress
We are pleased to share that since the introduction of Double Up Food Bucks, these stores have vastly improved their redemption rates and the impact of the program on Newark-area families continues to grow. Double Up will now be running year-round and coupons will now be distributed using a 6-week rolling expiration date from the date of distribution.
From July through December 2018:
- SNAP shoppers earned $63,468 in Double Up coupons on purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- SNAP shoppers spent $27,705 worth of Double Up coupons on more fresh produce.
- There have been a total of 17,768 transactions (earning + spending) with more than 1,800 unique spending households.
- Cumulative redemption rate is 43%, a rate that has been steadily climbing since the first month of the program (16%).
All stores increased redemption rates monthly from the start of the program through December 2018. Cumulative redemption amounts and rates for individual stores are:
- East Orange: $11,035 in redemptions, 38% redemption rate
- Hillside: $2,499 in redemptions, 29% redemption rate
- Kearny: $7,908 in redemptions, 31% redemption rate
- Newark: $6,263 in redemptions, 73% redemption rate
The total number of in-store customer service desk inquiries about the program were 1,988.
- East Orange: 1,015
- Hillside: 78
- Kearny: 362
- Newark: 533